Sterilizing-hopper.



A. C. BADGER. STERILIZING HOPPER. APPLIOATIQN FILED DEO. 21, 1909.

Patented July 19, 191'0.

THE NoRRls PETERS ca, wAsHlNcoN, n. c.

UNTTED iSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR C. BADGER, OF NEWTON CENTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO E. B.BADGER & SONS COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

STERILIZING-HOPPER.

aereas.

To all whom 'Lt may concer/n:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. BADGER, of Newton Center, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sterilizinglloppers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to apparatus for sterilizing or disinfectingexcreta infected with germs of typhoid fever and oth-er infectiousdiseases, so that the excreta will not be a source of danger whendischarged into a sewer or elsewhere.

The invention is embodied in a sterilizing hopper comprising a steamjacket forming the wall of a sterilizing receptacle, a valve seat inclose proximity to the lower end of the steam space of said jacket, anda movable gate valve having a liquid tight fit on said seat and forminga temporary bottom for said receptacle, means being provided forpreventing` an accumulation of water of condensation in the lower end ofthe steam chamber, so that the entire inner surface of the steam jacketdown to the valve is utilized as a heated sterilizing surface adapted tothoroughly heatand boil diluted excreta deposited in the receptacle, thesterilized material being discharged by gravitation when the valve isopened.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification,-Figure l represents a vertical section of a sterilizinghopper embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 represents a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4represents a section on line 1% of Fig. 1.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

My improved hopper comprises a main receiving portion 12 preferably oftapering form, and a neck portion 13 through which material deposited inthe main portion is discharged from the hopper. The said portions aredouble-walled, and contain a steam space 14. For convenience, I willrefer to the entire portion of the hopper that contains the steam spaceas a steam jacket.

15 represents a valve seat which is substantially parallel with thelower' end of the steam acket, and is in close proximity thereto, thevalve seat being preferably made separately from the steam jacket, andforming a part of a valve chamber 16, in which Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed December 21, 1909.

Patented July 1.9, 1910.

Serial No. 534,352.

is a gate valve 17 adapted to have a liquidtight fit upon the valveseat, so that when the valve is closed it constitutes the bottom of asterilizing receptacle, the wall of which is formed by the steam jacket,the heated surface of the latter extending downwardly practically to theupper surface of the valve.

The reduced lower portion of the steam jacket is preferably ofcylindrical form, and is fitted in a cylindrical socket or recess 18formed on the upper side of the valve chamber 16, said socket having aflange 19 to which is bolted a flange 2O formed on the exterior of thesteam jacket. 21 represents a steam inlet and 22 an outlet for exhauststeam and water of condensation, said inlet and outlet being locatedabove the lower end of the steam jacket and preferably formed in theflange 20.

The inlet 21 opens directly into the annular steam space 14. The outlet22 is extended downwardly by means of a short inserted tube 22 which isscrewed into a bridge 23 formed between the inner' and outer walls ofthe steam jacket, and extends downwardly nearly to the lower end of thesteam space, the lower end of the tube 22 constituting an intake 222Linto which water of condensation accumulating at the lower end of thesteam space is forced by the steam pressure. Provision is therefore madefor preventing any such accumulation of water of condensation in thelower end of the steam jacket as would impair the heating effect of theinner wall of the jacket, the actively heated inner wall of the jacketextending downwardly practically to the valve seat so that when thevalve is closed to forni a temporary sterilizing receptacle, all thematerial in said receptacle is subjected to the same degree of heat. Thetube 22 may be inserted through an opening provided for its reception inthe lower end of the neck portion 13, said opening being subsequentlycovered by a closure formed to occupy the opening and secured in placeby brazing or otherwise, the said closure forming a part of the lowerend of the neck portion 18.

Prior to the sterilizing operation the material is sufficiently dilutedwith water to enable it to be boiled by the heatradiated into it fromthe inner wall of the steam jacket. Owing to the fact that the activeinner surface of the steam jacket extends practically to the bottom ofthe charge of diluted material, a thorough and efficient circulation isset up, so that all parts of the charge are thoroughly and uniformlyboiled, complete sterilization being the result. When the charge ofmaterial has been sufficiently sterilized, the valve is opened, and thecharge is permit-ted to escape by gravitation through an outlet 25 inthe lower end of the valve chamber. Said outlet may communicate with asewer or other receptacle for the discharge of material. The valve 17 isprovided with a stem 2G with which may be connected a suitable operatinglever 27.

I claim:

1. A sterilizing hopper comprising a steam jacket forming the wall of asterilizing receptacle, a valve seat at the lower end of the jacket andin close proximity to the steam space thereof, and a valve adapted toclos-e on said seat and form the bottom of said receptacle, the steamoutlet of the jacket being arranged to conduct away practically allwater of condensation from the lower end of the jacket whereby theentire inner surface of the jacket is utilized as a heat-ing surfaceextending substantially to the valve.

2. A sterilizing hopper comprising' a steam jacket forming the wall of asterilizing receptacle, said jacket having a steam inlet and an outletfor steam and water of condensation, a valve seat located in closeproximity to the lower end of the steam space in the jacket, and a valveadapted to close on said seat and constituting, when closed, the bottomof the said sterilizing receptacle, the outlet of the jacket beingarranged to cause the expulsion of practically all the water ofcondensation from the jacket by steam pressure therein, whereby theentire lower portion of the inner surface of the jacket is utilized as aheating surface extending substantially to the valve.

3. A sterilizing hopper comprising a steam jacket forming the wall of asterilizing receptacle, and a valve chamber below the jacket having avalve seat in close proximity to the steam space of the jacket, a valveadapted to close on said seat and form the bottom of said receptacle,and an outlet below the valve.

4. A sterilizing hopper comprising a steam jacket having a steam inletand an outlet for steam and water of condensation, botli located abovethe lower end of the jacket, the said outlet having its intakesnbstantially at the bottom of the steam space so that practically allthe water of condensation is expelled by steam pressure through theoutlet, a valve seat at the lower end of the jacket and in closeproximity to the steam space thereof and a valve adapted to close onsaid seat.

5. A sterilizing hopper comprising a steam jacket having a steam inletand an outlet for steam and water of condensation both located above thelower end of the jacket, the intake of the outlet being substantially atthe bottom of the steam space of the jacket, a valve chamber having asocket'. which receives the lower end of the jacket, a valve seat inclose proximity to the lower end of the jacket, a valve adapted to closeon said seat, and an outlet below the valve.

In testimony whereof I have aliixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

` ARTHUR C. BADGICR. Witnesses C. F. BROWN, I). W. PEzzE'rrr.

